Morning Fire Destroys the Miami Elite Gym

Morning Fire Destroys the Miami Elite Gym

A Miami fire destroys a gym that's been a second home to many athletes for years.

MIAMI, OK.--- A Miami fire destroys a gym that's been a second home to many athletes for years. On Wednesday morning, the building caught fire, leaving the gym in ruins. Those who use the gym most say not only did they lose a practice facility, they lost the building that held so many precious memories.

"It's really hard to explain how I feel about that. There's so many memories, not only for myself, but my entire family and our community, that's inside these walls," said Sheila Dawson, Miami Elite Gym Owner.

The Miami Elite Gym was a home away from home for so many athletes, and they're feeling the loss from the Wednesday fire that destroyed the entire inside of the facility.

"We've all kind of grown up here and like made all our memories here, so it's hard to have a big piece of our life taken away from us," said Talon Forbis, Miami Elite Cheer.

Owners say they believe a space heater is to blame, and while they can't retrieve the lost photos and trophies, they hope to get back on their feet soon.

"We definitely had insurance, but we were underinsured with the building itself. So getting into another building is our first priority and then just trying to get some equipment," said Dawson.

Owners say through the help of fundraisers, they hope to give kids a new place to call home.

"The gym that I grew up in is gone, and I don't really have anywhere to go right now," said Shania Forbis, Miami Elite Cheer.

"Right now, our main focus is finding a facility for our athletes to get them back to a sense of normalcy," said Dawson.

If you want to help, there's a website for financial donations, click here to view. Owners say they need to raise $14,000 to get into a new facility.

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